


Happier

by rydellon



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Hospitals, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-08 05:47:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17975594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rydellon/pseuds/rydellon
Summary: Mark felt like shit.





	Happier

Mark felt like shit.

 

His body ached and it felt like he hadn’t rested in days; his knees protesting whenever he walked, arm joints screaming at him when he tried to move them, leg muscles stiffening up so he didn’t move to prolong the torture he was putting them through.

 

And still, he worked.

 

He stayed later in the practice room, switching from choreography to choreography, perfecting his moves until he messed up and there was actually something to perfect; staying in the studio and rapping until his voice cracked and his throat begged for water.

 

When he was done he would head back to the Dream dorm, tell anyone who was still up to go to sleep (no one would be up, since it was almost always past 3 am) and sleep on the couch.

 

Because if there was one rule that Mark followed, it was that he had to at _all_ costs avoid Taeyong and the 127 dorm.

 

Of course, he slept two or three hours and woke up, heading to the 127 dorm before everyone woke up to shower, change, and head out again, but there would only be one or two people awake then, and Taeyong rarely ever caught him.

 

That was a good thing.

 

He would grab a protein bar and sprint out of the house, unanswered texts from Taeyong always filling up his inbox, working until the rest of them got there and then working some more.

 

Avoiding meals and Taeyong, drinking water and Gatorade, that was Mark’s life.

 

That was, until today.

 

He could feel the ache from his fall last night, as well as Taeyong’s eyes boring into his back. He didn’t think anyone but Johnny had seen him at the 127 dorm in more than a week.

 

He liked it.

 

He liked the weight he was at, the amount of practice and exercise he was getting, the way he couldn’t focus on things, his brain not even protesting the amount of sleep he got anymore.

 

He felt _alive_.

 

He felt normal.

 

Of course, this feeling would carry into this dance practice, standing next to Taeyong, the rest of the 127 members around him.

 

He couldn’t see himself in the mirror, his senses dulled, everything around him seemed a bit lighter, himself in particular.

 

His head felt slightly cold, the spaces beside his eyes pressing into his skull.

 

He could even ignore Taeyong looking at him for once, the concerned look the elder was giving him. Mark didn’t know why the other would be worried about him, he felt great.

 

He was surprised Taeyong was even looking at him like that after he ran away two weeks ago.

 

He soon realized what Taeyong was worried about as his knees buckled and he fell to the floor of the practice room, hitting his head on the unforgiving surface, but already having passed out before he hit the floor.

 

* * *

 

Mark blinked his eyes open to white walls and someone gripping his hand, a head resting on his stomach.

 

“Ah, you’re awake,” a voice said.

 

He looked up, coming face to face with a kind looking doctor.

 

“What am I doing here,” he blurted out, subconsciously gripping the hand he was holding tighter.

 

It felt familiar in some way, like the hand of a friend, not that of a stranger. He kept his gaze on the doctor.

 

“I’m not your attending physician, I was sent to check over your x rays to see if you fractured anything in your fall since it seems you hit your head pretty hard,” the doctor looked over his sheet, “it seems like you’re in for…malnutrition and exhaustion.”

 

He gets fixed with a piercing gaze courtesy of the young doctor.

 

“Take care of yourself. your boyfriend was pretty distraught,” the doctor says.

 

“You look all good though, so as soon as your doctor clears you you’ll be free to leave. Let your boyfriend know he should feed you more,” the doctor smiles warmly.

 

“I’ll be leaving now.”

 

But Mark didn’t hear any of that. He didn’t hear anything after the first the doctor said…

 

 _Boyfriend_.

 

Mark didn’t _have_ a boyfriend.

 

But, after finally looking at the person holding his hand, it was clear what the doctor had been talking about.

 

“Taeyong hyung,” he whispered, eyes fixed on the man sleeping on his stomach.

 

His ‘boyfriend’.

 

Mark felt his face go red.

 

“ _Mark Lee_!” a voice shouted suddenly, the hospital room being invaded by the Dreamies and Lucas, who were being corralled by Taeil.

 

Various shouts of “hyung! are you ok?”, “Mark hyung you idiot!” and “ooh! Taeyong hyung’s here!” could be heard from all around the room, none of them stirring Taeyong any more than the older gripping his hand tighter and adjusting his head on Mark’s abdomen.

 

“Seriously hyung, we’re all worried for you, are you ok?” Jaemin asks.

 

Mark smiled at them genuinely.

 

He felt like he had more energy that day, but from what the doctor had told him, he figured it was from the IV they had him hooked up to and the nutrition it was giving him.

 

“Yeah, I feel great,” he said, all of the people in the room collectively letting out a sigh of relief.

 

“That’s good. We were really worried Mark,” Taeil adds, everyone else shouting their approval. quite loudly.

 

Taeyong stirred on Mark’s chest, and Mark subconsciously placed a hand on the older’s hair, running his hand through the dyed strands.

 

Renjun snorted, whispering something to Jeno who also laughed.

 

“Maybe we should leave the lovebirds alone!” he announced loudly, causing Donghyuck and Lucas to burst into laughter.

 

With Donghyuck dragging the posse out of the room, Mark was left with his thoughts and Taeyong, who felt like it was the right moment to stir and mutter “Minhyung” under his breath.

 

Mark took his hand out from Taeyong’s and Taeyong’s hair to bury his face in them, which seemed to cause Taeyong to finally wake up.

 

“Mark…” he whispered softly, grasping for Mark’s hand before realizing the younger was awake.

 

“Mark! Minhyung ah! You’re awake! God, I was so _worried_ about you—you never came back to the dorm, god I should have given the Dreamies food because apparently you were staying there and they could have made you eat! God are you ok?” Taeyong had stood up rapidly, hands poking and prodding all over Mark’s body, making him flush.

 

“Taeyong hyung…” he said.

 

“Yes!” Taeyong froze his hands, sitting back down, “oh, oh should I leave? Do you want me to go get Donghyuck?”

 

“Hyung…” Mark repeated, looking Taeyong in the eye, “why are you…here after what I did?”

 

Taeyong’s gaze softened so much Mark had to look away.

 

The older grabbed at Mark’s hand, Mark giving in and letting him hold it, but keeping his own hand limp.

 

“What you did…Mark that was a completely normal reaction. If anything you should hate me for not doing anything after you kissed me. It’s my fault I didn’t react,” Taeyong shifted his chair closer.

 

“But Mark, I really like you. I really do. And if it’s alright with you, I’d like to kiss you right now.”

 

Mark looked at Taeyong’s sincere face with awe.

 

Kiss _him_.

 

Lee Taeyong wanted to kiss him. Lee Taeyong was asking _permission_ to kiss him.

 

“Yeah,” Mark said, “yeah. kiss me.”

 

A bright smile split Taeyong’s face in two, and the older cupped his face with his unoccupied hand, pressing his lips to Mark’s softly, giving the younger room to get out of it.

 

Mark pressed in closer, returning the kiss until he couldn’t anymore, leaning away from Taeyong to look at the other.

 

“We’ll be ok,” Taeyong whispers, “you’re gonna listen to me and I’m going to take care of you and we’re going to be ok.”

 

Mark hummed, a sudden need for sleep rushing through him, his head falling down on the pillow and falling asleep.

 

“Goodnight,” he whispered, Taeyong smiling at him and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

 

“We’re going to be ok.”

 

And that’s how they were found the next morning, Taeyong resting on Mark’s chest, both of them fast asleep, hands twined together.

 

The most peaceful sight in the world, both of them wrapped up in one another, happy as could be.

 

Perfectly content, and definitely _not_ feeling like shit.

**Author's Note:**

> sorry if i missed any capitals lol this was originally in lapslock!!
> 
> also idk anythin about passing out or hospitals all of these symptoms are based off of things that i personally have felt!!
> 
> feel free to like correct me or anything lol idk whats goin on


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